1. Field of the Invention
The invention is a bowling lane maintenance machine used for periodically applying a dressing compound to a bowling lane and then speading and buffing the dressing onto the bowling lane.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lane dressing is applied to a bowling lane to lessen wear due to the impact and skidding of a bowling ball. Preferably the dressing is applied only part way down the lane starting at the foul line with the heaviest coating is applied in the area where a thrown bowling ball impacts and skids, with the coverage thinning out towards the edges of the lane.
Complicating the problem of applying lane dressing in the required amounts and location is uneven wear of the lane. The heaviest area of lane wear is in the impact area of a ball thrown by a right handed bowler. Other application problems arise from warping and imperfections in the lane surface.
Prior art devices such as McNeely U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,331, Rockwood et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,036 and Varner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,037 use at least one horizontally mounted roller or bristle brush that extends longitudinally from one gutter to the other across the lane and which rotates about an axis parallel to the lane surface, in brushing contact with the surface, as the maintenance machine traverses the lane.
The rotating bristles or brush can not adequately contact and brush the ball contact area which is depressed below the horizontal surface of the lane. The raised ares on each side of the depressions hold the brush above the depression. Vertical irregulaties and warped areas are also not brushed well. A parallel rule extended across a lane, from gutter to gutter, would show a substantial depression in the ball contact area and would show irregularities in other localized areas where the flooring of the lane has dished, warped or loosened.
Dressing is applied in small amounts to the lane to be dressed. For example McNeely U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,331 uses a sprayer nozzle to produce a mist of dressing oil that falls onto the lane to be buffed. It is preferable to have the dressing put down more heavily in the ball contact: this area is to the right of center on the lane. A mist does not allow varying the amount applied. Other devices such as Rockwood et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,036 apply oil to a transfer roll which selectively engages the buffing roll, when oil is to be applied or they directly apply dressing oil to the buffer. Heavier dressing is applied to that part of the roll which brushes the ball contact area.
The competitive devices require pumps for spray of dressing or a plurality of rolls. In the invention dressing is applied directly to the lane surface by porous pads, eliminating valves, motors and the need for extra rolls. Buffing is performed by rotating blades which rotate about a vertical axis rather than about a horizontal axis.